(ARA) - Up to 80 percent of water used around the home during the summer is for outdoor use -- primarily to irrigate gardens and lawns. To keep lawns green and lush during the long, hot summer, most people pull out the hoses, turn on the sprinklers and pour on the water. Household water consumption has increased drastically in the past 30 years, and the combination of increased water demands, rising water bills and drought-induced watering restrictions has prompted many homeowners to rethink their approach to lawn care.

But there's an easy and permanent solution to this problem. Instead of being held hostage by Mother Nature or the local water utility, many homeowners are replacing thirstier grasses with water-thrifty zoysia grass. Zoysia's vigorous root system is so deep and extensive the grass rarely, if ever, needs watering. In fact, Zoysia Farm Nurseries' grass (product name Amazoy) requires up to 80 percent less water than other grasses.

Zoysia is a durable, spreading turf grass that grows into a permanent, perennial lawn that also naturally resists insects and diseases, and it doesn't require chemical-heavy weed killers or heavy doses of fertilizer.

Unlike other grasses grown from seed or installed as sod, Amazoy is sold as individual starter plants, or plugs, that can be planted into bare ground or bare sections in existing lawns. Amazoy zoysia grass plugs quickly send out roots and sprouts from which new plants take root. The densely growing zoysia grass spreads outward, choking out all other growth -- including crabgrass and other summer weeds.

Within two to three growing seasons, in most climates, the grass plugs will spread to completely cover the lawn area. And because zoysia grass actually prefers summer heat, it doesn't need gallons and gallons of supplemental water during the warmer months to keep it healthy and green. The result is a durable lawn that can stand up to playground punishment, animal waste, summer heat and drought, while still looking green and feeling plush.

Zoysia also needs no care or maintenance during the cold months. In areas that get frost, zoysia grass quietly goes dormant and stops growing. Zoysia is cold-tolerant, surviving temperatures as low as minus-30 degrees Fahrenheit. When the weather warms up again the following spring, zoysia grass regains its natural green color and starts growing again.

Amazoy zoysia grass is available direct from the grower. Log on to www.zoysiafarms.com for more information.